Cu Chulainn is the greatest warrior hero of Celtic mythology. Son of the sun god Lugh, Cu Chulainn earned his name at age seven by killing a warrior’s guard hound (Cu Chulainn = Hound of Culann) and offering to take the dog’s place as guardian.
When he enters his battle frenzy (riastrad), his body undergoes a supernatural transformation — one eye sinks into his skull while the other bulges out, his muscles swell, and he becomes unrecognizable. With his barbed spear Gae Bolga, Cu Chulainn single-handedly defended Ulster against the army of Connacht. His tragic death at a young age is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in Celtic epics.
